Keeping Pests Away This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays of the year – and with good reason! Who doesn’t love filling up on delicious food like turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, while getting to spend quality time with the people that matter the most? With the hustle and bustle of everything going on during these eventful few days, it is pretty easy to get caught up, and it only takes a few careless acts to intrigue those creepy-crawly (and hungry) pests that are looking for a home for the winter. Whether you’re hosting the family dinner this year or the “Friendsgiving” meal for your pals, we understand that this season can have our minds in a frazzle. Luckily, we’re here to help. These simple tasks should be noted as your Thanksgiving to-do list, because remembering to do these things may save your from future pests!

Clean Thoroughly

When we say clean…we mean clean. Think about it, when people are eating in your home, remnants are being dropped everywhere. After hosting your get together, it is crucial that you clean every inch of every area where food was prepped and cooked, consumed, disposed of, etc. Failure to clean extensively leaves these sticky surfaces and crumbs lying around as an open buffet for pests like cockroaches and mice. Along with this, you want to make sure to wash all of your dishes promptly. Don’t allow them to pile up and sit in your sink! If you’ve got a lot going on like most of us do, a great way to opt out of washing and putting away dishes is to purchase paper/plastic/Styrofoam dishware that can be disposed of immediately afterward. While we’re at it, take out all of your trash immediately as well, especially if it is containing anything a pest might deem desirable.

Properly Store – Before and After

Improper storage of food is all too often a factor that brings in pests. If they can find a way to it, they will. Remember while cooking, although you may be in a rush or multitasking, it is important to properly re-seal and store the ingredients you are using. You can even double check this after you’re done cooking! It may seem like a hassle to check to see that you put lids back on tightly or closed the top of a box, but it’ll be even more of a hassle if failure to do this brings pests. And then at last, after you’ve eaten your weight in turkey and gravy and are putting the leftovers away, ensure that all of your storage containers are air tight and completely sealed. Store in them places that pests cannot gain access to, too.

Check Your Home Before the Guests Arrive

Making sure that your home leaves no available points of entry for pests will be greatly beneficial for you in the outcome. Check around the inside and out of your home for any cracks, crevices, or potential entryways for them to sneak in through. If you happen to spot any, simply seal them with caulk (or another similar product from your local store that will lock them out). You can also choose to have a professional exterminator come out to check and/or treat your home of any pests beforehand, to ensure that the ones you may have don’t make an appearance at your dinner party and that no pesky critters will be making an appearance to snack on your leftovers afterward either.